any help?

[sean]

hi
me and my dad have just started on our mini/swift conversion and were wondering if anybody had any helpful info especially pics of subframes.
also where do you put the alternator? it looks like it may get in the way of things as standard.
thanks

[GTiMini]

There are several ways to do this conversion. Without being able to test each I couldn't say which is best. If you want some pics have a look at http://minimike2bc.tripod.com/MiniSuki/Minisuki1.html

Depending on how you position the engine the alternator can go on the back of the engine like Chris did in the web site above, or in front of the engine as my Turbo GTi Clubman has got it.

If you are doing a roundnose conversion then a would suggest a front mount alt or even a reverse mount setup.

Whatever you do get an engineer to check over your design and work.

Good Luck.

[sean]

Hi Con,

Thanks for your reply. To date, I have cut and removed all the unwanted parts from the subframe and modified the rear crossmember of the subframe to accept the diff housing. This has allowed me to position the engine to give accetable drive shaft angles of equal length and plenty of clearance between the diff housing and the steering rack.

The rear portion of the subframe is now back in the car with the engine and gearbox slung into the correct position. As this is a round front conversion it is now clearly obvious that the alternator will not fit at the rear of the engine. It appears to me at this stage that the best place for it would be to reverse mount it up under the right hand front guard. This will obviously require a well engineered canterlivered bracket off the end of the block but achievalbe all the same.

Clearances between the engine and bodywork of the car are pretty tight to say the least, in particular, between the cable boot on the throttle position sensor and factory mini dual brake master cylinder. A careful bit of grinding on the an unwanted portion of the cylinder casting should relieve the problem.

Because of the tight clearances I am of the opinion that the factory suzuki engine mount compound is too soft and will allow the engine to move too much. I am currently looking at the possibility of using the original mini mounts or similar on either side of the engine. As these are compact in design and more rigid that the original item they should provide the support I am after. This should also enable me to do away with the original mount at the front of the head.

As for the gearbox mounts, I hope to utilise the original suzuki bottom mount and front stabliser and possibley a section of the suzuki crossmember. As for the rear stabliser mount, there simply isn't room for it and I will look at fabricating a dog bone to replace it.

As for the rest of the conversion, it all looks pretty straight forward but very time consuming.

Any comments on my ideas on this conversion would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks

Simon Jones

[GTiMini]

Simon

Well done. But you have me wondering, did you fit the steering rack before you test fitted the subframe and engine?

If you move the engine too far back or make it too upright the diff will foul the rack. Be extreemly careful with the rear section of the frame, engineering doesn't like it interfered with too much as it carries significant strength of the whole assembly.

[miniswift]

Hi Simon,

I'm making same set up with you at the moment.
You are right about tightness for the Alternator.
I have more or less made a bracket to go as per original but slightly higher.
Engine mounts wise, I will be interested to know what you think of it at the back.
Also, you will notice, oil filter will be in the way with front section of subframe.
For this you can use either remote oil filter housing or drop front mount point by at least 2.5 inch.
I have been speaking with Glass truck racer ppls and they said it will improve handling of your car.
I'm not sure what to do myself but I already made suspension set up of top and bottom arms.
I will be taking pics when I get few mintues spare, so watch this space as ppl say.
I will be slowing down my progress from now due to birth of my 2nd child soon.

Good luck with your build and please keep imform us.

Cheers
Atchi

[sean]

Hi Con, Atchi and anyone else reading,

Con, yes I did fit the rack before test fitting the frame and engine and there is plenty of clearance. Any strength I have lost by cutting the frame to allow for the diff housing I will put back. I plan on plating a portion of the big round hole on the left side of the frame and also adding a gusset positioned vertically on the underside of the area that has been weakened. I am confident that this will provide sufficient strenght.

Atchi, there is no way my alternator will fit at the rear of the engine as you are able to do with yours. What generation Suzuki have you got? It may have a different intake that mine, which allows you to put the alternator above its original position. Mine is the first generation out of a Holden Barina GTI 1986. I am unsure if these vehicles were produced anywhere else other than New Zealand but it is the same as the swift of that year. I have decided to position the alternator in reverse. I will mount it off the cylinder head and intake mounting points that were used for the top engine stabaliser mount. Mounted in this position it will protrude through the inner guard (wing) in the approximate position of the now redundant air duct.

Over the last couple of days I have begun fabricating the frame. I have actually spent more time sitting looking at it than cutting and welding. I find it best to do that on these sought of projects. The longer you look, the more ideas you get and the better the end result.

I have reused the original gearbox cross member and have it mounted in position along with the track rod mount. I have also fabricated a front cross member from 50mm X 25mm X 3mm box section. It steps forward along its length to clear the exhaust manifold and oil filter so I don't have to fit a remote filter. This should work well as long as I can get the frame back in the car. I may need to trim an inch off the bottom of the front panel to get it in, but I'll see how we go.

The engine is positioned so that it is very close to the original angle. It may be tilted back slightly if anything. Drive shaft lengths and angles are equal.

I will let you know what I come up with for the rear mount Atchi when I get to it.

I will also try and post some pictures when I work out how.

Simon Jones

[MattG]

sean , send me some photos to : mg@tstravel.co.uk , i can then make you a club member and you will be able to add photos to the gallery

Matt

[miniswift]

Hi sean,

The reason I can keep the alternator where it is that I will be using motor bike carbs instead of original standard injections.
If you visit www.teamswift.net/forum, you will see carbs section and you can see what I'm trying to do.
I went to scrap yard and saw Audi 80engine mounts.
It looks like light, small and easy fitting.
I might try and take it off and see what I can do.

You are right about one thing though, I do spend long time just stunding there looking at it!
More I look, I get :idea: or :?: . Like Con said, trial and error I think.

Good luck
Atchi

P.S. my build will be on hold for while due to 2nd baby is due next week :roll: .

[miniswift]

Hi,

I forgot to tell you that engine sits @15 degrees and drive shaft is actually front of hubs on Swift.
I looked at my friends Swift today.
So, I have to mve my engine by may be 20mm or so.... :cry: .
I thought I finally got optimum position..
Oh well, joy of hybrid I guess..

Cheers
Atchi

[sean]

Hi,
We have made alot of progress over the last month or so, the subframe is complete, an alternator bracket has been custom made to accept the alternator in a reverse mount postion up under the right front gaurd. My dad has just finished making all nessicary parts to install the suzuki brakes and callipers (custom backing plates, machined hubs, redrilled disks, and spiggoted spacers). We have only to do the wiring, install the gauge cluster, radiator, fuel pump and lines, brake lines and work out what to do with the rear brakes (cooper s drums or custom spacers) then fit 13x6 minilites then and it will be ready for the first test drive :D

Sean (Simon is my dad)

[sean]

will post pictures when I become a full member

[sean]

Hi all,

As you can see from Sean's previous post, things are coming together quite well.

Atchi, the answer to your question re rear engine mounts that you asked in your post on the 20th August. After looking at the engine and subframe for a while and wondering what we were going to use, I decided to have a look at our donor car to see if it had anything to offer. I ended up cutting off the front 3 inches of the rear trailing arms and fabracating them into engine mounts. They're a round bush about 65mm in diameter and 50mm wide. I simply welded the end of the trailing arm complete with bush to a 6mm plate that I drilled to bolt to the block. I have used these on both the front and back of the engine and they work a treat. The front one sits directly above the oil filter which will remain in the original position. As for the gearbox mounts, I used the suzuki mount and crossmember at the bottom and the Suzuki front stabiliser. To replace the original rear stabiliser that couldn't be fitted due to the confined space I used an Austin 1300 dogbone that goes from the top of the bellhousing to a custom bracket on the buldhead.

Also completed to date are the drive shafts. I got a price of $550 to get a set made which is a bit more than we were prepared to spend so I decided to cut and weld. I used a good quality low hydrogen electrode to butt weld them and then turned them off in the lathe. I don't know how sucessful they will be but it only cost time. I am confident they will be OK for a daily drive. We will see.

I also robbed the Suzuki of the clutch and accelerator cable. The accelerator cable was an easy fit, I only had to drill a 9/16" hole in the bulkhead for it to pass through. On the clutch I cut the top 2 inches off the suzuki pedal and welded it to the mini pedal. I also had to fabracte a bracket to mount the pedal end of the cable to the bulk head. They both work very well.

Sean has already talked about the brakes. It was a simple conversion and they fit really well. Initally I am going to try them out without a booster and see how they go. The mini master cylinder is about 1/8" smaller that the Suzuki and the discs are 9 1/8" in diameter which is way bigger than any mini came from the factory with, so I think they will stop the car OK.

The next couple of jobs on the list is the cooling and fuel systems. I am hoping to use the original 3 row mini radiator with modified mounts and top and bottom pipes and a tiny thermo fan. We will look into using the Suzuki fuel pump and lines. Sean hasn't pulled the pump out yet, but I am confident we will find a way to adapt it to the mini tank.

Has anyone got any ideas on the cooling and fuel systems please?

We have now been made full members of this site so we'll get some photos posted soon.

Regards

Simon Jones (Sean's old man)

[GTiMini]

Simon

Well done!!! 8) Many start but give up when they hit hurdles like you have passed.

For cooling I used a Morris 1100 radiator front mounted sorta where the original Suzuki rad would sit. The GTi radiator was a fraction too high and wide but the 1100 radiator (which is bigger than the mini) fit perfectly by sheer luck. With a 10" thermo fan behind it cooling seems to work well. I used a top rad hose from a Holden Camira which happened to have the correct shape and cut down the orginal Suzuki bottom hose. A couple of brackets to hold it an it works fine.

For the fuel lines I fitted the GTi main line adjacent to the original mini line which I use for a return to the tank. A 300Hp Bosch electric inline pump sits external to the tank. I made a new pickup using bigger bore steel line and used the original mini pick up point for the return. Be careful if you do this to remove the little filter from the original pickup tube inside the tank.

I haven't found the need for a surge tank yet and I've used both a twin tank and single long range tank with success. Plumbing with twin tanks can be tricky.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures.

just wondering, is the problem with fitting the alternator directly related to your cars being rhd models ?
also, teamswift has been recoded, the corrected link would be to just http://www.teamswift.net

[sean]

Hi,

The problem of mounting the alternator will apply equally to both LH and RH drive.

If you are using a round front mini the only place that I can see for it to go is under the RH guard behind the headlight.

With a clubman there may be enough room up front for it but I can't be sure as I haven't tried it.

The only difference I can see between a RH and LH drive conversion is with the steering rack. With the LH drive the rack will hit the rear of the diff housing so you will have to swing the bottom of the gearbox 1/2'' or so further forward.

Cheers

Simon